Aryankavu Siddhar

Last month a devotee came to my house to meet me...  I had a surprising news from regarding a saint named "Aryankavu Siddhar".... 

Aryankavu is a unique spot - where the Lord will instantly raise the inner feeling and give you the divine awakening. This is the very spot "my beloved" made me understand that "HE is my everything" and took me under his benign care. He gives an enchanting vision; The divine face glows with Kingly majesty and the eyes are full of compassion. I always have a special place for Aryankavu in my heart.

So the word "Aryankavu" pulled me immediately.... 

I vaguely remember having heard this name "Aryankavu Siddhar" before - but didnot or rather could not find any details on this person during my research... 

Now the gentleman who came to my house is his sixth generation descendant and so I was interested in knowing more about this saint... 

But unfortunately we have very very limited information and records about this devotee. Even his original name is not known. 

Around some two hundred years ago a child was born to a Vaishnavite family in Thirunelveli district. The child later became known as Aryankavu Siddhar as he had lived at Aryankavu.

For reason unknown, he had a fascination towards the Lord of Aryankavu.... At the age of seven or eight, on a sunrise the small boy had a vision and a divine call; He was induced to proceed to Aryankavu - the sacred spot of Lord Maha Sastha.

When he reached the divine land - He was awestruck seeing the Lord of Aryankavu, who had called him... The young boy became totally attached to Lord Hariharaputra and decided to spend his life there.

The place was surrounded by dense forests and was the habitat of wild animals. But nothing bothered the boy. The boy was all alone at Aryankavu, serving the Lord - with the company of all wild animals... He slept along with leopards and snakes and whenever hungry, he simply ate fruits and leaves. 

He betook himself to the Lord's forest, where he lived alone for years, until he was sought out and restored to human society by his parents. 

The parents gave up much of  their time searching for their lost son. For many years they met many saints and astrologers to know the whereabouts of their son. Finally an astrologer gave a hint that he might be around "Thenmalai" in a forest- under the care of Lord Sastha.

The parents and the relatives went in search of the boy and finally reached Aryankavu... Everybody were shocked to see the boy sleeping in the forest near the temple amidst snakes and tigers around his body. 

The relatives could not even go near the boy and made many attempts to reach the boy - but could not succeed. 

That night, Lord Sastha appeared in the dream of the temple priest. The Lord ordered the priest to go to the temple, where he would find a small boy amidst the wild animals,  whom he was to wait upon and feed with the prasadam rice and handover him to his parents. When the priest went there no animal was visible to his eyes, so he did what the Lord had ordered and brought the boy to the temple. 

His parents finally got him out of the temple, took him back to their home and pressed him to marry and assume the duties of family life. 

He had no other choice but accept his parents' request. But soon after a child was born, he was unable to bear the influence of samsara, he prayed to the Lord. The Lord asked him come back and also promised to take care of his family and the entire clan. So he again fled from home and reached Aryankavu

He became a wandering monk there and was praised for his spiritual insight and devotion towards Lord Sastha. He lived to a good old age, loved and revered, and finally attained oneness with his beloved Aryan.